Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, President AMA Victoria with Rachel Mealey, ABC Radio 3LO
MOTTRAM: The football finals are over and his diary is now free. Now, all the Prime Minister has to do is say the word, and the Federal election campaign proper, will be under way. This morning, John Howard is in Sydney having a day off, his office says, but the speculation won't die until the sun sets. Mr Howardm, though, is not realistically expected to visit the Governor-General in Canberra today, which is what he'd have to do if he was going to call a November 3 poll. November 10 is now the most likely election date, requiring Mr Howard to take tea with the Governor-General, sometime before this weekend.
In the meantime, he has the advantage of several more days of unofficial campaigning, frustrating Labor, as it champs at the bit for a chance to shift the agenda to domestic issues that it sees as its strengths, vital if it's to salvage its now poor election prospects. One of those domestic issues is already emerging as key, the issue of medical services in the outer suburbs of Australia's cities. Rachel Mealey reports.
MEALEY: Outer metropolitan electorates are set to become key battlegrounds in the election campaign as both major parties vie for the vote of the ordinary Australian family. And one of the key concerns of those average Aussies, is health care and the ability to access a local general practitioner.
This morning there's speculation the Federal Government is planning to announce a package to entice doctors to practice in outer metropolitan areas, by offering cash bonuses. Dr Mukesh Haikerwal is the President of the Victorian Division of the Australian Medical Association. He says the shortage in outer metropolitan areas is merely a syndrome of across the board, under supply of GPs.
HAIKERWAL: We've got to work out why people don't actually want to work in general practice or work longer hours or work in outer metropolitan areas. And the reasons for this are, that the life style don't allow for the sort life style they want to lead. It's a strange paradox in some ways, that people who literally could be in the city, in the seat of the local theatre, within 20 minutes of leaving work, feel that it's too far to go to work. And part of it is a perception thing. They feel that it's not a pleasant place to work and that's actually not true. I personally work at a western suburb myself, and have difficulty recruiting. But also, because the difficulty in accessing other services in the outer metropolitan area are also a problem. In other words, specialist services, pathology services and decent radiology services can be a problem, too.
MEALEY: A spokesman for the Health Minister Michael Wooldridge wouldn't comment on any specific policy announcements which may be made during the election campaign. He said the Government would look to build on the initiatives that have already been used to attract GPs to the bush. But, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal says that and more would be required.
HAIKERWAL: The rural and centre packages have not been as beneficial as the Government would've hoped and that's because the level it was set as was probably inadequate. And also, the greater problems of practicing in rural and remote areas, which include a lack of infrastructure and facilities to look after people properly, have not been addressed.
Ends